Welcome to BFR number 5! Enjoy! I'm leaving the author's notes for fun.
Disclaimer: Only the plot line and the characters belong to me, unless I mention Vanyel, Sunsinger/Shadowdancer, Windrider, etc.
Iiiiiiit's Guess What? time! Anyone who guesses who Alain really is in their review at the end of the this chapter gets the WHOLE NEXT CHAPPIE dedicated to them! First guess only, so review, review, review!
Cool…..I get flags!
Muse responsible: Krathnae
OK. I'll act less demented now so you can actually READ this chapter!
Switch trotted crisply through the night, warily sniffing the air. The chestnut was a lovely little palfrey, but she had been given some basic warhorse training at the insistence of Kamaria's father. Kamaria, in turn, had been taught to stick to Switch's back in just about every circumstance, for which she was grateful-if someone tried to spook her horse in the hopes of stealing Kamaria's goods, the two of them would both be able to get to safety.
Kamaria knew the way fairly well through Haven-her mother had dragged her on shopping expeditions, and before her father had needed to go back to the Chantrea estate, she and he would often ride outside the city walls-and found her way to the encircling walls with only one false turning. The Guard didn't stop her, for she was obviously a noble, and besides, they didn't care about people going out. Kamaria was immensely relieved when she was permitted to pass with no more than a nod-she had absolutely no idea how she would have explained it.
Switch sidled a bit in confusion as they left the light and safety of the city, wondering why on earth her mistress was directing her into the darkness. "Sorry, girl," murmured Kamaria, as Switch paused and snorted, perplexed, "Wish I'd thought to bring a light, but-well, can't be helped."
Now that she was actually doing something, Kamaria was somehow…detached from the situation, focusing on each action as it came to her. Though as Switch picked her way along the dim road, not daring to go faster, Kamaria was having a few second thoughts.
Bad, bad timing, Kamaria, she thought to herself as Switch stumbled and hastily righted herself, You did have to run on the darkest night of the month, didn't you? If you'd sent a courier to Father, or protested to a Herald or something, it would've been delayed long enough-
What's done is done, interrupted her sensible thoughts, cutting through the flood of babbling, You've run, so keep running.
Just then, Kamaria's internal monologue was stopped short by the sound of speeding hoofbeats behind her. Her first thought was, Who the hell is idiotic enough to make a horse gallop at moon-dark?
Her second was, as she recognized a distinct chiming rather than clopping, That's a Companion, stupid-wait, can Mother have sent one out to get me?
Kamaria's fear escalated and her heart pounded as she recklessly kicked Switch into a gallop. The chestnut gave a squeal of shock and took off in a panic, catching Kamaria's emotion. Kamaria bent low over Switch's back, dread turning her stomach into a knot, silently begging any listening gods to let her escape.
However, Switch was hampered by not being able to see, whereas the Companion was far faster than any horse. Whoever it was shot past Kamaria, then stopped dead, blocking Switch from going any farther. The mare reared in startlement, and Kamaria dropped the reins.
The Companion whipped its-no, her- head forward and took the reins in her teeth, effectively keeping Kamaria from escaping any farther. Kamaria stared wildly into the darkness, trying to see-
"It's all right! It's just me," said a half-familiar voice, hastily, "Alain! Kamaria, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
Without even thinking, Kamaria began to babble, unable to stop herself. "Mother said-married-but he-then she-I got sort of-can't marry him!"
Kamaria became aware she was hyperventilating, and numbly wondered what was dripping down her face before she realized she was sobbing. At that point, she lost any semblance of control and sagged in the saddle, burying her face in her hands.
:That didn't go well, said Ramya to Alain, unnecessarily, :I'll get us off the road-I think there's some trees or a shed or something, no Waystations this close to Haven-you try and calm her down.:
Alain Sent a feel of concurrence and, as Ramya came alongside the noble's mare, put his arms around Kamaria and hauled her carefully onto his saddle. Thanking the gods Kamaria was light, Alain adjusted her until she was just in front of him. Hardly comfortable, but then in her condition, she probably wouldn't have been able to stay on her mare.
Kamaria was aware only of a shoulder presenting itself, awkward position nonwithstanding, and gave up all control, sobbing like a child into the Trainee's tunic. Alain patted her back a bit awkwardly, drawing on his experience with several siblings, and used his Animal Mindspeech to soothe her horse, who was still tense and on the verge of spooking.
:We're in luck, Chosen, there's a woodshed up here, said Ramya into his mind, :I'm not sure precisely why it's here, but we might as well spend the night under a roof. Maybe you'll get something more coherent out of her.:
It didn't take long before they reached the woodshed, situated by a stream-more accurately, it was the ruins of a woodshed, but it at least had a roof-where Alain somehow slid off Ramya's back and brought Kamaria with him before both of them fell over. Ramya took Switch off to the side, where there was some grass, and kept an eye on the mare as Switch began to graze.
Kamaria returned to her senses huddled on the floor, clutching the front of Alain's tunic. With a startled gasp, she thrust herself back, turning bright red, though there was no way he could see it in the darkness. Alain let her go, fumbling in his pocket for a handkerchief and handing it over.
"I'm-I'm sorry," stammered Kamaria, after blowing her nose, "But you scared me-"
"I'm sorry about that," said Alain, gently, "But what were you doing out here, in the dark, unescorted, on your horse?"
"Going home," said Kamaria, remembering her predicament with an unpleasant jolt. "Mother…she's arranged a marriage to me, with Councilor Domanda."
Alain drew in a sharp breath. If he had expected anything, it was not this. His shock was penetrated, however, as Kamaria continued to speak. "She…said I was too firebrained, or something, and-and-I panicked."
Alain nodded, slowly. "That's understandable," he said, scooting carefully over the splintery floor to sit beside Kamaria, "But, Kamaria, where is your home?"
Kamaria shifted on the floor uncomfortably. "About a week away," she admitted, "But that's where my father is, and he would never let this happen."
:Be easy on her, Chosen-she's not the first one to have ever panicked, and it's not like she was going to go live as a thief on the streets of Haven.:
Ramya's point, as always, was put clearly and shortly. Alain went along with his Companion. "I've heard the rumors," he said, "I believe the King is going to kick him off the Council as soon as he's got evidence. They can't prove why his wife killed herself, after all…" Alain trailed off, horribly aware that he'd just gone in entirely the wrong direction.
Kamaria gave a short, cynical laugh. "My aunt was in Haven when the Earl married the unfortunate woman," she said, "A few years ago, I seem to remember she told me, and the girl in question was barely seventeen." The laugh turned into another sob, and the noble blew her nose before it became worse.
Alain put an arm gently around her. "Why didn't you go to someone?"
Kamaria tensed beneath his arm and said, shortly, "Who would I go to? My father was at home, it's hardly against the law to arrange a marriage, and I have no idea when the w-wedding was supposed to be."
"I would've helped you," said Alain, without thinking, fiercely, "Whatever it took."
Kamaria flinched, and hunched over, as if to draw further into herself, the old longing for a Companion welling in her chest for seemingly no reason at all. "I…" she whispered, and trailed off.
Just then, there was a crackling in the brush. Switch tossed up her head, nostrils flaring, and as someone stepped out, bolted. Ramya, who had dropped the reins to nibble at the grass, reacted without thinking, hurrying to retrieve the horse before Switch stepped on her reins and broke her neck.
"Found you," said the person, and several other men stepped out behind him. Alain stared, caught off-guard. "Who the hell are-" he began, but was cut off as one of them sprinted up and smashed him over the head with the pommel of a knife.
There was the big fat revamp, and I hope you enjoyed it!
Senashenta: Hope you liked! Rain in your parade? Wha?
Etcetera-cat: Cool! I get flags! Hope you liked this chapter!
Now, remember, whoever CORRECTLY guesses who Alain really is in their review FIRST, gets the next chappie dedicated to them!
Fireblade K'Chona